When to stop crating puppy

[Anonymous]

When is it time to stop using the crate for overnight and during the day when at work for a puppy? Our puppy accepts the crate but clearly would rather be elsewhere. Mostly does his business outside - has accidents inside about once per week, usually when we don't pick up on a signal, but wondering if those "accidents" will increase if un-crated overnight and when we're away during the day. Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

I think if he is still having accidents you should keep the crate. We stopped using our crate when our dog was about 6 months and hadn't had an accident since 4 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if he is still having accidents you should keep the crate. We stopped using our crate when our dog was about 6 months and hadn't had an accident since 4 months.

I agree with this.

Also, you may want to consider that the puppy may need a set schedule at this point, rather than you waiting for signals the pup needs to go out, if they are still having accidents inside. We have an adult rescue that won't give us any sign he needs to go out so we have a very strict schedule for him which has helped tremendously.

[Anonymous]

once a week accidents is a lot! Keep the crate and work on that

[Anonymous]

Probably about 6 months he was good, but then I had him gated off in the kitchen when we went out until about a year...when he was consistent and reliable. Now he's free to roam and hasn't had an accident in the house for a year!

[Anonymous]

How old is your puppy?

My dog is 14 months and still crated. Mostly because I don't trust him to have run of the house when I'm gone! He's never gone to the bathroom in his crate. It's not normal to go once a week....

If he is having accidents in the crate that means you aren't taking him outside often enough. How long is he alone in the crate for?

[Anonymous]

I don't think you should stop using the crate until they go a significant amount of time with our having accidents in the house and also when you are sure they they will not chew up items that are left on the floor, table legs, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if he is still having accidents you should keep the crate. We stopped using our crate when our dog was about 6 months and hadn't had an accident since 4 months.

I agree with this.

Also, you may want to consider that the puppy may need a set schedule at this point, rather than you waiting for signals the pup needs to go out, if they are still having accidents inside. We have an adult rescue that won't give us any sign he needs to go out so we have a very strict schedule for him which has helped tremendously.

+1

We have our dog on a set schedule as she really doesn't give us any signals. Since we implemented the schedule, zero accidents.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for replies. To clarify, puppy has never had an accident in the crate. Accidents have been inside the house outside of the crate. He is about 5 months. I just feel badly about putting him in the crate but that's mostly just momma's guilt. He doesn't put up a fight going in. We'll keep the status quo and reassess at a later date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for replies. To clarify, puppy has never had an accident in the crate. Accidents have been inside the house outside of the crate. He is about 5 months. I just feel badly about putting him in the crate but that's mostly just momma's guilt. He doesn't put up a fight going in. We'll keep the status quo and reassess at a later date.

What kind of dog do you have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for replies. To clarify, puppy has never had an accident in the crate. Accidents have been inside the house outside of the crate. He is about 5 months. I just feel badly about putting him in the crate but that's mostly just momma's guilt. He doesn't put up a fight going in. We'll keep the status quo and reassess at a later date.

What kind of dog do you have?

Cavachon. Total sweetheart.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, ours has been using it because of chewing. She is seven months old and house broken. But, if I left her out all day, I'd come home to everything being torn to little bits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, ours has been using it because of chewing. She is seven months old and house broken. But, if I left her out all day, I'd come home to everything being torn to little bits.

+1. I never worried about accidents because she was easy to train but we experimented with small amounts of time outside the crate while we stood outside the front door and our 100-year old decorative stair moulding suffered the consequences. Our pup had never chewed anything before but she gets anxious when we leave, so we crate her to keep our house in one piece. We'll try again gradually giving her more freedom later, but we still feel like we cannot trust her. I do feel kind of guilty about it but she goes in her crate willingly and we have a dog walker that comes midday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, ours has been using it because of chewing. She is seven months old and house broken. But, if I left her out all day, I'd come home to everything being torn to little bits.

This. We used it for almost 2 years because of chewing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably about 6 months he was good, but then I had him gated off in the kitchen when we went out until about a year...when he was consistent and reliable. Now he's free to roam and hasn't had an accident in the house for a year!

I stopped crating at about 6 months too. My work was walking distance from my house, so I could quickly go home and check on her while she was adjusting to being home alone. She never chewed anything or had accidents. Got rid of the crate when she was a year old. Now she's almost 5 and I still don't have a cage for her.